ESL learning: Learning Native English

Today one of my weekly Japanese students asked me a question that should be answered for the benefit of many learners.

His question: “I am studying 1 hour every day, what material should I use for best results?”

Straight away, I knew it was time to tell him about Authentic Materials. Authentic material (referred to as ‘AM’ from here forward) is any material that exists in the real world for native speakers in English. AM is the SECRET to understanding and speaking English like natives.

The language genius, Valdman (1992), said “communicative ability, both spoken and heard, can be obtained only if learners are exposed to a variety of authentic written and oral texts illustrating a broad range of genres and pragmatic situations” (p.88). Keep reading and learn more…